How Big Are Cooper’s Hawks? (Wingspan + Size)

Cooper’s hawks are common members of the Accipiter family and can be found in nearly all of the United States, the southern half of Canada, Mexico and many other parts of Central America. With their strong, broad wings, Cooper’s hawks are imposing, but how big are they?

Among other falcons, the Cooper’s hawk is relatively large, with a wingspan of about 28 to 34 inches (70 to 87 cm). They weigh between 302 and 678 grams (10 and 24 ounces). Females are much larger than males.

Although there are no subspecies, the Cooper’s hawk varies in size and weight by region. For example, birds measured in Wisconsin were on average about 25 percent heavier than those measured in Nevada and Florida.

Also, in some regions, males and females are very similar in size, while in other regions, females are twice the size of males.

There’s still a lot to learn about the size and weight of these popular hawks – read on to find out!

Coopers hawks are a bit big for Accipiter hawks

span

Female Cooper’s hawks are much larger than males, with a wingspan of 31 to 34 inches (79 to 87 cm). Males have a wingspan of about 28 to 30 inches (70 to 77 cm).

They have broad wings and long tails that allow them to fly fast and maneuver quickly while hunting. Additionally, their compact yet broad wingspan allows them to soar through the air easily and quietly, which is essential for catching prey.

Cooper’s Hawks are capable of reaching speeds of over 50 mph while hunting.

cooper’s eagle spreads its wings

weight

Female Cooper’s hawks weigh 479 to 678 grams (17 to 24 ounces) more than males. Males weigh 302 to 402 grams (10 to 14 ounces).

In general, Cooper is more hawkish in the North than in Central America, consistent with Bergman’s law. However, without formally recognized subspecies, regional variation can be nonlinear and unpredictable.

regional difference

There are many regional differences among the Cooper Hawks. In general, eagles were larger in northern latitudes than in southern latitudes, with the highest average measured in Wisconsin.

Eagles in Wisconsin are much larger than those in southern California, Florida, and Nevada. Averages can vary by 100 to 150 grams, which is quite a lot.

There are also differences in size differences between males and females. In some regions, females are much larger than males, in some cases twice their body weight. In other cases, they weigh only about 10% to 15%.

Young Cooper’s hawk perched on a tree

How big are Cooper’s Hawks compared to humans?

Cooper’s hawks are smaller than humans, with an average wingspan of 29 to 37 inches and a body length of 14 to 20.5 inches.

They also weigh between 8.8 and 24.3 ounces, about a quarter the size of a newborn. Overall, Cooper’s hawks are small compared to hawks and other large raptors, but quite large compared to other hawks.

All of these can vary by gender and region, with males typically being smaller than females.

How big of an animal can Cooper’s Hawk pick up?

Cooper’s hawks are powerful birds of prey that hunt animals much larger than they are. However, that doesn’t mean they can pick them up and fly away with them.

The size of animals that a Cooper’s hawk can lift depends on the individual hawk and associated animals. In general, Cooper’s hawks are known for preying on small animals such as chipmunks and squirrels, but they are also known for preying on larger animals such as rabbits and other birds no bigger than pigeons, doves or chickens.

The upper limit of what a Cooper’s Hawk can pick up is difficult to determine, as it ultimately depends on the size and strength of the individual hawk. While Cooper’s hawks can kill an animal twice their size and weight, such as a rabbit or hare, they can’t actually pick it up and carry it.

Instead, they had to eat the animal on the spot, or shred it and ship the meat elsewhere.

Male Cooper’s hawk perched on a branch

Why are Cooper’s Eagles so big?

The size of the Cooper’s Hawk is an evolutionary adaptation to its habitat – they are large enough to efficiently hunt large prey like rabbits and squirrels, while remaining agile enough to avoid other predators. Also, as residents of northern latitudes, Cooper’s hawks need to be relatively large to keep warm in winter—or at least sufficiently thick in plumage. This increases their size compared to other hawks.

Cooper’s hawks are above average for members of the Accipiter family, but they are still much smaller than other North American raptors.

Cooper’s hawk’s strong, broad wings allow them to soar and maneuver quickly through dense trees and dense undergrowth. They are skilled and active hunters, specializing in small mammals and birds.

Unlike other raptors, such as the falcon, which prefers to kill its prey by tearing or attacking its beak, the Cooper’s hawk tends to strangle and squeeze its prey with its needle-sharp talons. They have even been observed drowning their prey.

cooper’s hawk hunting

Cooper’s hawk compared to other birds

In terms of size, the Cooper’s hawk is smaller than large birds of prey such as hawks and ospreys, and large owls such as eagle owls and snowy owls.

Weighing only about 500 grams (1 pound), they are nearly 10 times lighter than most hawks weighing 4.5 kilograms (10 pounds) or more.

Compared to other hawk species, Cooper’s hawks are much larger than Sharp-Shinned hawks, but smaller than Red-Tailed hawks, Northern goshawks, Black hawks, and Ferringhouse hawks (the largest species of hawk in the United States). On the other hand, they resemble red-shouldered hawks, Harris hawks, and gray hawks. Overall, they are slightly larger than the common eagle (all species worldwide), but very small.

Overall, Cooper’s hawks are considered to be crow-sized and closely resemble the American crow in size, weight, and wingspan.

Cooper’s hawk perched in the park

common problem

How big is a Cooper Hawk compared to a crow?

Cooper’s hawks are birds the size of crows. It’s safe to say they’re similar in size, but there may be minor differences, mostly in terms of wingspan. Crows from the crow family are usually larger than Cooper’s hawks.

How big are Cooper’s Hawks in inches?

Cooper’s Hawks are medium-sized raptors, usually between 14 and 20 inches long from head to tail.

However, the Cooper Hawk’s wingspan can vary from 29 to 37 inches, so it looks quite large as it soars through the sky. These birds are still much smaller than other North American raptors, such as eagles and bald eagles.

Can Cooper’s Hawk pick up dogs?

Even a puppy weighs around 2kg (4.4lb), which is far more than a Cooper Hawk can handle. Likewise, the Cooper’s Hawk cannot hold more than its own body weight, with a maximum weight of 678 grams (1.5 lbs).

Under no circumstances can Cooper’s hawks pick up dogs, but they could theoretically attack puppies or puppies. Many North American birds can pick up dogs, but Cooper’s hawks are not one of them.

Can Cooper’s Hawk catch cats?

Cooper’s hawks are too small to catch cats. With a maximum weight of about 678 grams (1.5 lbs), the Cooper’s Hawk is much smaller than most cats, including older kittens.